This time next week 23 amazing fellows will be on their way to Ghana to implement into 6 more villages! We are anxiously awaiting their arrival and could not be more excited to welcome them to the team! It is going to be one fun Summer for CWS!
Without further a due I would like to introduce you to CWS’ 2012 Summer Fellows:
Anula (good evening) from Accra! I arrived here last night and have spent the day running some last minute errands to prepare for the Summer Fellows. Since CWS works in Tamale, which is about 12 hours north of Accra, there actually isn’t too much that needs to be done here for our Fellows – just some travel and lodging logistics.
Tamale, where CWS works, is the capital of the Northern Region and is about 12 hours north of Accra.
Although there were only a few errands to run, they still managed to take all day because of Accra’s infamous TRAFFIC!
My view for about 90% of the day…
While there are a lot of perks to living in Accra (namely delicious restaurants, the beach, and HOT SHOWERS) I much prefer spending my work-days like this:
photo credit: Stephanie Bloom
than this:
I can not wait to be back at the CWS Office in Tamale tomorrow! Summer Fellows – we are so excited for you to get here!
The Summer Fellowship will take off at the beginning of June with 6 teams! It will be one exciting Summer as we open more water businesses and continue to serve new communities clean drinking water! Though the Summer is off, the Fall Fellowship application is up! This Fall from Oct. 10th through the 31st– an ideal program for any recent graduates or even young professionals looking for experience in international development! The great thing about the application is that it is rolling. Giving our fellows a unique opportunity to start their fundraising early! Get your applicationin today and be set with your Fall plans with an amazing experience in Ghana. Grow your skills in
Leadership
Communication
Teamwork
Real world problem-solving
Time management
Working under pressure
Public speaking
If you have any questions feel free to email Sam at [email protected].
I can’t believe its been a year. A year already? A year only?!
Volunteering with Community Water Solutions this year was an experience that I am struggling to summarize. I could go by those landmark successes (and failures):
– Opening days in SIXTEEN communities = great success!
– Pushing the CWS truck down the Kumasi road = huge fail!
But I think it’s those ordinary days that have defined this year for me. I’ve been lucky to be able to hit the road most (earlyyyy) mornings with five incredibly hard-working and altruistic guys. Peter, Shak, Wahab, TJ and Amin made up our Tamale full-time field staff this year, and without them, well, I would be unintelligible in our villages. But their job is much more than translating. They wheedle information about problems out of reluctant housewives, they teach kids how to push taps without breaking them and give presentations to their classrooms, they take it personally when a house has misused a safe storage container, they charge community cellphones at their houses, switch farming tips, stories and food with the local men and women and kids, and they are the face of CWS to the communities they work with. I’m just lucky that I got to be part of such an ace team.
It’s not just the CWS posse that has impressed me daily. The ladies we work with in every village never cease to surprise me. Some are grandmothers and some are unmarried girls. Some work farms, others roadside food stops. All support their families and their communities without giving it a thought. Of course, the profits from the business are a great incentive to keep them going, but the actions and words of the ladies we work with have led me to believe that, for most, profits are only part of the reason they continue their work. The importance of community well-being here is something that I have rarely found so highly valued elsewhere in the world.
This year has certainly been one of great change for CWS. We have expanded rapidly, and the way we follow up in the places that we work has changed with this expansion. Figuring out how to optimize our time and resources and figuring out what ways monitoring is most effective were the twin challenge for me this year. Communicating our findings to a broader, international audience lead to ghanawaters.crowdmap.com in addition to topical blog posts. We also managed to successfully incorporate local government participation into our projects, and many villages are now nominated by their districts to partner with CWS. In retrospect, our growing pains were minimal; making water accessible to thousands more has yet to feel trying, and when you put it that way, how could it?
Of course, none of this would be possible without the amazing fellows we have had roll through our Tamale office, and a huge perk of this job was being able to work with so many talented, energetic and creative students and young professionals. Thank you fellows; keep in touch and keep your villages close to your hearts.
“Who is more dirty?” – my favorite game to play
Luckily I don’t have to say my goodbyes just yet, but leaving this week is still bittersweet. Its wonderful to know that a competent group, headed by new Country Directer Brianan Kiernan, will be able to take over operations once I’m out. But it’s very sad to think that I won’t spend my mornings hanging off the back of a moto. I’ll have to console myself with a fat American hamburger – thats right – its time to leave the chicken and rice behind, if only for a while!
Just Tuesday all of our Spring Fellows returned safe and sound to the U.S. from an impactful month in Ghana!
With our first Spring Fellowship complete we were able to bring clean drinking water to 480 more people for the village of Sakpalua, including 100 children. Thanks to the hardwork of Chelsea, Nick, Rich & Colleen! Despite a few bumps in the road, literally and figuratively speaking, the Spring Fellows were able to implement a permanent drinking source for the people of Sakpalua! We are so luck to have you guys a part of the CWS Team and look forward to seeing the places you will go!
It is also worth mentioning that none of this would have been possible without your support! We would like to thank everyone who supported out 2012 Spring Fellows! Many thanks!
We arrived to our village around 9 am on opening day. Not many of the villagers were near the center when we first got there, but after the sight of our truck they began to show up in large numbers bearing their blue buckets. Lydia and Damu had the center well put together for opening day and things went off without a hitch. As people gathered in line we passed around a small bucket so that everyone could have a taste. The water was perfect and everyone was very eager to get their water home to their household. After 2 ½ hours we had filled all but three of the 59 buckets that we had distributed and called it a day. It was amazing to see how quickly the facility was able to get up and running, as well as how efficiently it was able to supply more than a village’s worth of clean water.
Treatment Center in Sakpalua
After such a successful opening day, we took the day off on Tuesday. Shak drove Rich, Colleen, and Chelsea to Kintampo Waterfalls for some much needed R&R. Nick, unfortunately, could not join us because he was sick, but we all had a great time!
After our day off, it was time to get back to work. We got a late start due to some technical difficulties with Shak’s truck, but made it to Sakpalua around noon to begin monitoring. We checked 21 households in all. Everything looked great. Every household we checked, with the exception of one, had adhered to the rule of keeping the storage container 6 inches off of the ground and all had used their container only for clean water. We were all incredibly pleased to see that going household to household to distribute buckets and explain to each villager how to properly use their safety storage container properly had truly paid off. Only 3 more days of spending time with the lovely villagers of Sakpalua and monitoring before we hitch a bus back to Accra. My how the time has flown.
This June, Brianan Kiernan will be joining the CWS Team as the new volunteer Ghana Country Director. We are so thrilled to have Brianan as a part of our team and think that she is going to do an amazing job managing our operations in Ghana! For all you Bostonians out there, Brianan will be running the Boston Marathon today, so be on the look-out for her! GO BRIANAN!
-Kate
CWS' new Ghana Country Director, Brianan Kiernan!
Let me just start off by saying that I am thrilled to join the CWS team in Ghana this upcoming June as the Ghana Country Director! It has been only three months since I participated in the CWS fellowship program and I could not be more excited to get back.
In May, I will be graduating from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with a focus in Economics. I have always had an interest in international development and social justice but was unsure of how I would fit into the mix.
After participating in the Community Water Solutions Fellowship program this winter, I realized that I belong in the field! In my studies, I have seen the statistics, read the theories and learned about international and non-governmental organizations. So it was amazing to finally get to see the application of development work that organizations like CWS provide and the positive results that come of it.
Opening day in Kpachiyilli, the village where Brianan and her team worked this winter
Working with the women, Mariama and Azara, from the village of Kpachiyili, reminded me of our common humanity on this one planet that we all share. On our last day in Kpachiyili, Azara left my team with some words of wisdom. She said that all of the work we have done for her village, Kpachiyili, has had great, positive results. But she added that we should not forget about Kpachiyili when we return home. We need to tell people of our experiences and about the people in this village. When we leave, we must remember.
Upon returning to Boston, Azara’s words have stuck with me in thinking about her village but also in thinking about the people in this world who do not have access to basic necessities like clean drinking water. This June, when I return to work with CWS, I am looking forward to ensuring that the CWS water businesses remain sustainable for the 20,000 people who have been given a safe water source. I am so happy to be apart of CWS and I cannot wait to get started!
-Brianan
Brianan with her Fellowship Team in Kpachiyilli this winter
Antire from Tamale to our beloved family and friends and our dedicated blog followers!
The boys
We are all having an amazing time; thus far, the experience has definitely been one that we will always remember. Three days ago, we set foot for the first time in Sakpalua: our village that CWS Ghana Country Director, Kathryn, found for us. During our initial visit, we met one of the elders, with whom we spoke briefly about implementing the treatment center. He was well educated on the poor quality of the water his village was consuming and very receptive to the idea of us coming to implement a center. We were then escorted to the dugout by three teenage boys from the village- Olman, Abu, and Muusaa. When we got to the dugout to take a sample of the water, we noticed that though it is vast, the water level was low because the region is just now transitioning from the dry season to the rainy season. Sakpalua has proved truly unique thus far. Not only are the people great, but they are used to Westerners coming to the area. Remnants of past NGOs can be seen in the rainwater harvesting bins, local primary school, and library, all sponsored by a Presbyterian organization. After collecting a sample of the water, we went to leave Sakpalua and met the Chief. The chief was very soft-spoken and wore a kind smile. We set a time to come back the next morning to meet with him. We then all piled in to Shak’s truck to embark on the one hour drive, filled with “Salaminga, hello!” and people waving.
The following morning, we had our official chief meeting. Elders and many members of the community came out to hear about the project. Rich was in charge of leading the meeting. We began with a prayer, led by the village pastor James, then moved into introductions. Each of us took turns standing up to thank the community for welcoming us into their village and stated our names. Rich then began by stating that we were there on behalf of CWS, explained who CWS is and the approach. During this time, Shak walked around to show the villagers the samples of the dugout water that we had tested the day before at the CWS lab. E coli and other bacteria filled the small 3M test, indicating how contaminated the dugout water was. Everyone at the meeting agreed that we “must begin treating the water immediately!” as one of the women put it. We discussed further prospects for the best methods to move forward in implementing the center then set a time to come back the next morning to begin building the polytank stand.
Our Wednesday began around 8:00, allowing time for the shops to open. Shak picked us up out front of the Gillbt House and our first stop of the day was at the mason supply store. There we purchased thirty large concrete blocks, two bags of sandstone and a 40kg bag of cement. As we loaded the supplies in the back of the jeep, many of the local children gathered around to cheer us on and dance to the Bob Marley blaring from the radio. Our trip to the village this time around was a bit more interesting with the weight of the supplies bearing down on the axel. After some minor setbacks that Shak handled with ease, we arrived at our village, ready to begin the work. The elders had selected an ideal spot for the polytank center to be built, located in a well shaded area about 50 meters from the dugout. The first step of the process is to lay the blocks vertically in a tight circle, and begin mixing the sandstone and cement, slowly adding small amounts of water. We quickly apply the mortar and build the second layer of blocks with an overwhelming amount of help from the village men. It is great to see the villagers eager to help with the project because after another 10 days it will be left in their hands to maintain while we are away. The importance of clean water is not lost in the least and after an hour of work the day is done, allowing plenty of time for the cement to dry and harden.
Thursday begins in roughly the same manner, returning to the supply store and purchasing more sandstone for the polytank stand. Around 9:00 we roll up to the construction site and find many of the villagers already at work. The initial task is to rummage around the dugout area and dig large stones from the ground, which will later serve as filler for the center of the stand. Once the center of the stand is about ¾’s full, the women set to work retrieving a fine gravel to pack in around the stones. They carry the heavy weight with no problem, balancing large metal bowls on their heads as they trod from the center to the gravel and back several times. They make it look unusually easy, however after we each try our hand at the task we realize that it is anything but. As the gravel is being packed, we mix more mortar, adding additional cement to create a thick plaster to cover the exterior of the stand. Close to 12:30, the final touches are put on the stand and while the cement is still wet, Shak writes each of our names, the date and CWS in bold letters along the top of the stand, commemorating the time we shared with the village.
Its that time of year again. The time where the storm clouds start rollingggg in, the nights cool off, and everything begins to go from brown to green. Of course the rains won’t begin in earnest for a couple months, but the dry season is definitely transitioning to wet. It couldn’t come soon enough.
This dry=>wet segue has its own unique set of challenges (remember some of our wet=>dry updates?). On one hand, as water levels get lower and lower, water quality gets more and more GROSS – we definitely see an increase in center sales at this time! Some ladies even buy treated water for washing and cooking.
Dugout water at Buhijaa
On the other hand, sometimes dugout water gets so low that there is not enough water to treat. CWS partners with communities that report having dugouts that don’t, or rarely, run dry; our work is most appropriate for these situations. However, this has been a drought year for much of Western Africa (check out a few international news articles here and here and here and here). For the first time in our operational history, we are having to deal with dry dugouts. Jagberin, Gbateni, Zanzugu Yipela, Yipela, Kushini, Kagburashe and Buhijaa have closed down center operations until the next rain (many reopened after a big storm yesterday) but until the rain starts again in full force it will be difficult for these communities to have consistent, treated water. Most are walking kilometers into the bush, or to other communities, for their water needs (Kagburashe actually gets its water from another CWS village, Chani – so treatment continues for those who want to walk!).
A little water left at Jagberin
Luckily the rainy season is just around the corner! A few big storms have blown through, giving staff the opportunity to talk to some of our newer communities about rainwater collection. Soon, too, communities whose dugouts become inaccessible (like Gbung and Libi) or who have water sources open up closer to home (like Zanzugu) will have to heave their polytanks back to town. We have also begun prepping our most remote communities, Chanaayili, Gbateni and Buhijaa, to be independent for a few months when large bodies of water start to block the roads. The ladies laugh and tell us to swim aquatabs across to them – we are going to need official CWS speedos!
Easter started out early with a visit to Kurugu Vohoyili! The fellows were off on their own and excited to practice their Dugbani while getting to see the action at a water treatment center! It was a busy morning at the center, which is always exciting to see! After tallying up sold buckets the fellows proceeded to go around household to household. In their household visits they asked when they last filled at the treatment center, took a sample of the water to test back at the lab and were able to just have conversations with people about how they like the center and the taste of the water. All the households they visited were properly using their safe storage container and providing safe drinking water to their families! A successful day in Kurugu Vohoyili!
After a long day in the field, Rich relaxes for a little in the awesome hammock that he brought (summer fellows- maybe you should add this to your packing list!)
That night the fellows, Sam and Kathryn were off to CWS favorite Swad to celebrate Easter with a family dinner! Today is another exciting day for the fellows where they will be approaching their new village for the very first time! Stay posted for what the day brings!
The 2012 Summer Fellows with Sam and CWS Ghana Country Director, Kathryn, enjoying East Dinner at Swad
